The first time Michelle Riddle, a pediatric occupational therapist met her new client, “Billy,” he wasn’t able to speak. About to turn four, he wasn’t toilet trained, couldn’t leave the house without major meltdowns, didn’t attend preschool, and had a range of behaviours associated with autism, including body rocking, lining up objects, twirling them and watching them spin, and making tic-like sounds. A validated screening tool placed Billy in the first percentile for his age group – meaning 99 per cent of children evaluated with the screen outperformed him developmentally.

At Riddle’s recommendation, the family removed potentially toxic substances from their home and began feeding Billy a whole foods diet, including broccoli sprouts.

“…Research is not really helping families on the ground who desperately need help… What they need to do is translate research into action. If it’s just going to be research reports that sit on the shelf, that won’t help anyone. We need to establish policy and best practices. We need to demand that children receive those supports, because those children and their families should not have to live this way.” - Carly Sutherland, a Nova Scotia mother of a 9-year-old with ASD in a January 2018 interview with CTV News

A promising young investigator has created unprecedented traction in priority areas identified by the Canadian autism community.

Kids Brain Health congratulates Dr. Judy Illes on becoming a member of the Order of Canada.

On December 29, 2017, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, announced 125 new appointments to the Order of Canada. Among them was Dr. Illes, lauded for her contributions to the field of neurology, including pioneering research that has highlighted the ethical, social and legal implications of advances in neuroscience.